The language and legend of Tradescantia

Flower Language

The flower language of Tradescantia is respect.

The flowers of Tradescantia are small and inconspicuous, but its flower language is respect, which is incredible. However, although its flower language is respect, the life of Tradescantia is ordinary. Even so, the ordinary and beautiful Tradescantia still has its own beautiful legend.

The story of Tradescantia

Tradescantia is known as the natural dye of Japan. It has a name called "widow's tears" - widow's tears, so most of its legends come from Japan.

In Japanese, its name is "dew grass". Once the morning light appears, the dew will disappear, just like the tradescantia that blooms with dew in the early morning and withers in the sun at noon. The Japanese have a strong preference for beautiful but perishable things; therefore, in Japanese history and culture, tradescantia is closely associated with autumn and is very popular. It is a frequent guest in haiku poems and has many literary names: dew grass, bright grass, moon grass, etc.

Tradescantia is often used as a dye in traditional Japanese dyeing art. Gently twisting the petals will squeeze out a sticky liquid, which is an excellent blue dye. Some of the blue kimonos in Japanese Ukiyo-e are dyed with its dye, hence the name "dew grass color". It is a thick and calm blue. However, after several months of exposure to sunlight, the dye from Tradescantia will gradually fade into a yellow-green color and will not last long, so it is gradually no longer used in modern times.

The anime "The Borrower" is full of natural ecological atmosphere, and this ordinary but beautiful flower once appeared in it. In the Japanese world, Tradescantia is a beautiful thing of romance, ecology and nature. Although in China, most people still regard it as an ordinary wild flower, it still lives tenaciously and proudly on the same land, blooming and then withering.